Terminal connecter for electrical conductors



F. w. ZEPP 1,780,289 TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS Nov.4, 1930.

Filed Jan. 11. 1929 Patented Nov. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK W. ZEPP,OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TERMINAL CONNECTER FOR ELECTRICALCONDUGTORS Application filed January 11, 1929. Serial No. 331,728.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 370O. G. 757) This invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to terminals for the ends of insulated electricwires and cables, and particularly to such terminals having at one endmeans for engaging the binding post of a spark plug or other electricaldevice and at the other end means adapted for connection with theinsulation and core of the conductor.

One object of this invention is to produce a new and useful terminal forinsulated electric conductors from a unitary blank of metal whichpermits the terminal to be easily and cheaply manufactured and at thesame time provides one of durable construction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a terminal with means forreadily and removably fastening it at one end to an insulated conductorand at the other end to a binding post of a spark plug or otherelectrical device.

Still another object is to provide a terminal for an insulated conductorwith means on one end of the terminal for engagement with the insulationof said conductor and means on the other end for engagement with a sparkplug or like device and means in the form of a tang on the terminal forconnecting it to the metallic core of the conductor.

Briefly stated, this invention is a terminal for electric insulatedconductors and comprises an integral blank of metal with a cutoutportion therein, the blank being bent upon itself at its center in theform of a loop. The cut-out portion thus forms a bifurcated end, whenbent, which is adapted for engaging a binding post of a spark plug orsimilar device. The sides of the loop form rearwardly projecting prongswith inwardly bent points adapted to be imbedded in the insulation ofthe conductor to hold the terminal in position. A tang is formed on theterminal for mechanical and electrical engagement with the core of theconductor.

The familiar types of terminals now employed are made in a number ofsections which are expensive to construct, difficult to attach to aconductor, and are attached to the end of the conductor in such a manneras to require the use of solder in making contactbetween the terminaland core of the conductor in which case the solder frequently melts dueto the heating of the terminal thereby releasing the conductor andcausing danger of fire from short circuits.

It is therefore the aim and purpose of this invention to devise aterminal which is simple and cheap to construct and efiicient in use,readily applied to and removed from the conductor and binding post of aspark plug or like device to which it is attached and is not liable toget out of order.

The construction, novel combination and arrangement of parts of thisinvention is hereinafter more particularly described, and is illustratedin the accompanying drawings; it being understood however that Variouschanges in form, proportion and other details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

Referring more particularly now to the accompanying drawing in whichcorresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters,

Fig. 1 shows a side view of this invention attached to a conventionalspark plug;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the cut blank from which the terminalis'formed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the invention lla ent into form from theblank illustrated in Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of theinvention applied to a high tension electric cable;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the locking sleeve;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line AA of Fig. 4 and Fig.7 is a modified form of terminal end.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention (1)indicates an elongated strip or blank of resilient conductive materialsuch as sheet metal from which the terminal is formed. I

The strip or blank is provided intermediate its ends with a central bodyportion (2) eontaining a longitudinal U-shaped cut-out portion the upperends of which form a base (4) of a V-shaped tang (5) which is integralwith the body portion (2) and is reduced in its width to a pointadjacent the bottom of the cut-out portion (3).

The walls of the cut-out portion are the sides of the body portion (2)which are longi tudinally extending arms (7) and (8) in substantiallyparallel relation with each other.

The arms (7) and (8) of the central body portion (2) are reduced inwidth at their ends (9), (10) as indicated at (11) and (12) suchreductions being greater at one end (9) than at the other end (10). Thereduced end (9) is extended or produced to form a longitudinallydisposed V-shaped prong (13) which is extended along the center line ofthe strip or blank (1) and reduced in width from the reduced end (9) asto terminate in a point and in an opposite direction to the tang (5)having a common base (4).

On the opposite end of the body portion (2) are elongated V-shapedprongs (14) and (15) having a common base (1(3) formed by cut-- ting outa V-shaped portion (17) from the end of the blank (1). These prongs (14)and (15) diverge outwardly from the reduced end (10) and common base(16).

In attaching the terminal to the end of an insulated conductor (18) asshown in Fig. 4, a sleeve (19) which is ovate in cross section and isprovided with pointed projections (20) emanating from one of its endsthe purpose of which will hereinafter be described, is slid over the endof the conductor (18) the end of the sleeve (19) with the projections(20) pointing in the opposite direction to the end of the said conductor(18). The tang (5) of the blank (1) is now bent outwardly about the base(4) as an axis, until it is substantially parallel with the prong (13)the blank (1) is then bent upon itself, along its transverse axisleaving at one end a U-shaped yoke portion (21) with fingers orprojections (22) having raised surfaces (23) at their outer ends asillustrated in Figs. (3) and (4) and the prongs (13), (14), (15), andtang (5) extending toward the other end, on the outer ends of theprongs(13), (14), and (15) biting spurs (24) are provided which are bentinwardly for attachment with the insulation (25) of the conductor (18).The tang (5) extends in the same general direction as the prongs (13),(14), and (15) but is spaced therefrom and in substantially parallelrelationship therewith as shown in'Figs. (3) and (4).

This tang (5) is now projected or embedded in the core (26) of theconductor (18) for mechanical and electrical contact with the said core(26), after which operation the prongs (13),, (14), and (15) are closedin about the insulation (25) of the conductor (18) and the biting spurs(24) of the prongs (13), (14), and (15) are driven into said insulation(25).

The oval-shaped sleeve (19) is next pulled forward and is positioned onthe ends of the prongs (13), (14), and (15) thereby wedging the prongsin position and holding the biting spurs formed on the ends of saidprongs embedded in the said insulation (25).

In order to hold the sleeve (19) in place on the ends of the prongs(13), (14), and (15) the projections (20) are bent inwardly into theinsulation (25) of the conductor (18) by any suitable means. It will benoted that the raised surfaces (23) of the fingers on the outer ends ofthe yoke-shaped portion (21) of the terminal when in position upon anelectrical device as for instance a spark plug will retain the terminalin position even when the nut (28) becomes loose.

I have shown a modified form of terminal end in Fig. 7, wherein a tang(5') is joined to the end of a bent integral blank (1) by soldering orotherwise. For the purpose of attaching this form of terminal to a sparkplug it is formed with an aperture (29)..

It will thus be seen by the above description that the present inventionbroadly, comprises a terminal for insulated electric conductors. whichterminal is formed from a unitary metallic blank and is characterized byhaving at one end insulation gripping means for holding the terminal onthe end of the conductor and at the other end a bifurcated portion forattachment to the terminal of an electric device, means on the terminalin form of a tang for engagement with the core of the conductor to makeelectrical and mechanical contact therewith, and a sleeve slidablymounted on the said insulation gripping means for holding the grippingmeans in position on the said insulation; integral metallic blanksadapted to be formed into such terminals are also comprised within thescope of the invention.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and wish to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A blank of sheet metal adapted to be formed into an electricalterminal for insulated cables comprising a central body portion, aV-shaped prong projecting from one end thereof, a plurality of V-shapedprongs extending from the other end thereof, and a central prongprojecting within said central body portion.

2. Means for forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shapedsections joined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs, forinsertion into the insulation of an electric conductor, each insubstantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, saidsections and said prongs being formed from a single blank.

3. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicateyoke-shaped sectionsjoined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs for insertioninto the insulation of an electric conductor each in substantially thesame plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, and a locking sleeveslidably mounted about said prongs, said sections and said prongs beingformed from a single blank.

4. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sectionsjoined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs for insertioninto the insulation of an electric conductor each in substantially thesame plane as its respective yoke-shaped section, and a sleeve slidablymounted about said prongs, said sleeve having spurs projecting at anangle to said prongs, said sections and said prongs being formed from asingle blank.

Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sectionsjoined at their 2O ends, and provided with raised bead-likeretainingelements at the point of juncture, and terminating inelongatedprongs"; each in substantially the same plane as its respectiveyoke-shaped section.

6. Means forming a terminal comprising du licate yoke-shaped sectionsjoined at their enc and terminating in elongated prongs, each insubstantially the same plane )as its respective"yoke-shaped section, anda tang bent from, one of said yoke-shaped sections to extendsubstantially parallel to said elon-/ gated prongs. I"

7. Means torning a terminal comprising du licate yoltehaped sectionsjoined at their ents and terminating in elongated prongs,

I each in substantially the same plane as its respective yoke-shapedsection, and a tang bent from one of said yoke-shaped sections to extendsubstantially parallel to, said elongated 4" prongs, and a lockingsleeve slidably mounted about said prongs and tang.

8. Means forming a terminal comprising duplicate yoke-shaped sectionsjoined at their ends and terminating in elongated prongs,

each in substantially the same plane as its rcspective yoke-shapedsection, and a tang bent from one of said yoke-shaped sections to extendsubstantially parallel to said elongated prongs, and a locking sleeveslidably mounted go about said prongs and tang, said sleeve having I anoval cross section.

FRANK W. ZEPP.

